Special Recipes

Barbecue Paella with Chicken, Shrimp & Chorizo Sausage

A popular rice dish, paella originated in the Valencia region of Spain, and can made with a multitude of different ingredients, including chicken, pork, shellfish, fish, eel, sausage, beans, peas, peppers, or artichokes.

Ingredients

Preparation

Make the paella
Build a charcoal fire for direct grilling and preheat it to 400°F.

Put a small saucepan on the grate directly over the fire. Add the saffron threads and toast them until you can smell the saffron aroma, about 1-1/2 minutes. Add 2 cups water, bring to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the grill and set aside.

Season the chicken thighs evenly with 1/4 cup of the seasoning rub.

Put a paella pan or an 18-inch cast iron skillet over direct heat. Add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, put the chicken into the pan and sear until nicely browned, 3 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
Put the chorizo into the hot pan and cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, scallion whites, jalapeño, and garlic and cook, stirring, until the vegetables brown slightly and soften, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat in oil.

Toast the rice for 2 minutes. Pour in the white wine and stir, scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Pour in the saffron water, return the chicken to the pan, and cover with the chicken stock.

Reduce the temperature to 350°F, close the grill lid, and cook for 10 minutes. Open the grill and stir in the shrimp and peas. Close the lid and cook until the rice is done and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 175°F, 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove the paella from the grill and serve it directly from the pan.